A Birth of Flame and Frost
by LadySpontaneity
Summary: When Daenerys Stormborn finally returns home, it is with an army behind her, dragons at her side and the God of Mischief in her heart. But there is more to face than the mortal army at Kings Landing, for Death marches upon the Wall in the form of the White Walkers. And as the inevitable war approaches, the Red God rises... (Avengers & GoT X-over. Daenerys & Loki pairing)
1. Chapter 1:Love That Burns

**Chapter 1: Love that Burns**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Avengers or GoT (maybe in another lifetime).

**Pairing: **Loki/Daenerys

**Summary: **This is a sequel story. It is a follow on from my first story **'The Flame Maiden of Hygard'** so if you haven't read this, you may wish to or else parts of this sequel may be hard to follow. This story is set after season 3 of GoT and follows the exploits of Daenerys Targaryen as she strives to take back the Iron Throne with the God of Mischief at her side. Reviews are absolutely welcome!

...

Three dark, silent shapes swooped and weaved in the night sky, soaring toward a formidable castle and the perilous cliffs upon which it rested. They flew unnoticed past its murky windows, landing softly against some ocean rocks as they growled up at the sinister fortress like a trio of watchful guardians. A slimmer, more petite form dismounted from the largest of the magnificent beasts and stepped over the slippery stones to regard Dragonstone, former island and stronghold of the Targaryen line.

Daenerys Stormborn, heir to the Targaryen Throne and rightful Queen of the Andals stood watch over her family's fortress, seething over the usurpers who had taken up residence there. Although she had come here for a very different reason, to retrieve a book lost within its walls, now that she stood here, Daenerys couldn't deny the overwhelming urge to reclaim her family's stronghold.

She hushed her dragons as they seemed to sense the importance of this place, gnashing their teeth and gazing at the castle that would have been their home once upon a time. "_Calm_," she told them in Valyrian. _"Be calm._" She needed to be smart about this. Even though she had three dragons at her command, Dragonstone was capable of hosting a small army if necessary. The last thing Daenerys needed was for several hundred soldiers to overwhelm her and her young dragons. Not when she had the element of surprise for the first time since the war of men had begun. At a distance, and when acting in sync, her dragons were a deadly combination. Up close, their youthful scales could still be penetrated by a strong blade. Daenerys was not about to risk the lives of any one of her beloved dragons, not even for a chance at her family's former stronghold.

The fragile life within her womb stirred as well, a gentle reminder that she had even more to protect than her dragons. She placed a delicate hand against her stomach, feeling the small yet evident bulge which now pushed against her dress. It was not obvious unless you were looking for it but Daenerys doubted that she would be able to hide her condition for much longer. It was certainly progressing much faster than an ordinary pregnancy, most likely as a result of Loki's unusual heritage. Although she did wonder how the baby's growth would eventually affect her body, not once did she question whether it was worth it. Daenerys loved the blossoming life within her unconditionally and she vowed she would destroy any who threatened to take her child from her.

A soft mewling from her dragons brought her thoughts back to the task at hand and she watched the fortress with stormy eyes. Even as a child, Viserys would tell her how he one day planned to conquer Dragonstone through use of the catacombs that extended beneath its stone foundations. According to her brother, there were narrow escape tunnels that spiralled up its walls and he was confident that if someone was as aware of the exact layout of Dragonstone as he was, it was quite possible for that person to move about the fortress undetected for years. Daenerys was counting on her lessons as a child to get her into the stronghold and with any luck she would be able to retrieve the diary of Daenys Targaryen without incident. If the opportunity presented itself and there were few enough soldiers guarding the place, she would also reclaim her rightful guardianship of Dragonstone.

Daenerys breathed deep, flexing her hands as she attempted to call forth the element of fire. She could feel her palms grow hot and she raised them in front of her but to her disappointment no flames sprung forth from her hands. Drogon suddenly gave an impatient huff and smoke snorted forth from his nostrils. This gave Daenerys an idea and she raised a coaxing hand toward her largest dragon with one simple request. _Dracarys_.

As Drogon obediently breathed fire into her open palm, Daenerys moulded the flames into a small ball. It stayed that way, shaped like a flaming piece of fruit and she smiled in satisfaction. For whatever reason, she was better at controlling fire than creating it. If need be, she could always borrow fire from her dragons but she was hoping even that wouldn't be necessary. Avoiding any interruption upon entering the stronghold would be crucial in her plans since she knew she had quite a search ahead of her. When the Baratheons had claimed Dragonstone as their own, they did away with most of her family's treasures, either selling them or throwing them into the sea. What remained they had abandoned in the dungeons to be forgotten over the years. They had committed similar appalling acts in Kings Landing, storing the skulls of her family's dead dragons in dirty old prison cells as though they were unwanted furniture. The only reason she suspected the skulls were not ground into powder was because the Baratheons were a proud family. With the dragons gone, their skulls were all that remained of the dragon dynasty and by keeping their skulls, it was almost like a sick reminder that the Baratheons had outwitted and outmanoeuvred the great Targaryen family. No one seemed to care or even realise that while her father had lost all sense as a ruler, there were still innocent children who paid the price for the Baratheon's betrayal.

One of the Baratheon brothers now sat atop Dragonstone as though he owned the place, licking his wounds over his latest war failures and listening to rants about the Red God from his Priestess. Daenerys had heard talk of this Fire Priestess... this insane Red Woman. Word travelled surprisingly quickly across the sea and Daenerys was informed of the exploits and measures that Stannis Baratheon had taken to ensure his support. He had allowed this Red Priestess to burn innocent people at the stake for supporting the Old Gods, claiming them to be false idols. While Daenerys harboured no strong feelings for the Gods herself, these were _her_ people Stannis and the Red Woman were burning and that she would not stand for.

Daenerys turned toward her dragons again, filled with nothing but steely determination and resolve as she mounted Drogon and urged him toward the castle. _It was time._

...

_Loki_

It was strange to think that the people of this world had so little experience with storms. Loki had grown quite accustomed to it over the years, particularly owing to the fact that his brother controlled lightening better than a musician could direct a symphony. The storm that raged now was so similar to the ones he had seen before that, had it not been for the shouts of alarm which sounded throughout the city, he would not have thought there was anything unusual about it.

But like so many times before, it was the sudden onset of the storm, the way it came out of nowhere that gave his brother away. Loki still cradled Daenerys' youngest dragon, Loreley, and he carried her with him as he stalked through the dark city, ignoring the way the Yunkish people cowered in their homes, shielding themselves from some unknown terror and the foreign weather that it brought.

When he reached the city limits, Loki kept going, trekking up the mountain where he knew Thor would easily find him. Loreley kept her sharp pin claws imbedded firmly in Loki's cloak, staring through the black downpour of rain with an enviable night vision. Remarkably the dragon heard it before Loki did, that subtle swoosh which signalled that someone else was moving about in that cyclonic weather, someone who knew their way around a storm. The moment Loreley angled her sharp, little reptilian head to the East, Loki's ears tuned in properly and he heard the distinctive sound of a weapon being thrown. He counted to two in his head, timing his retreat perfectly and stepped back at the just right moment. A split second later, a heavy weapon soared past him and embedded itself deep within the mountain slope, spraying the area with mud and plant debris. The hammer was all too familiar to Loki and he almost smiled as the obedient hunk of metal pulled itself free of the mud and rocketed back in the direction it had come from.

Loreley growled and moved out of sight under his cloak as Loki stood patiently, watching as a tall and broad shouldered figure finally emerged from the darkness with a cascade of water pouring from his armour. Although the tempest carried on around them, it was as if the pair was now in the eye of the storm and an eerie calm rested upon them.

"Long time, no see," Loki murmured, waiting as his adoptive brother stopped short several feet away, his fingers gripping tightly to his signature hammer. His blonde hair was plastered to his face as a result of the heavy rain and his cloak remained waterlogged against the back of his armour.

Loki expected the self righteous speech, the deep throaty voice which would inevitably reprimand him on his selfish plans but Thor said nothing as he regarded Loki with a detached coldness. The icy glare that Thor wore was so unlike the compassion of his brother that Loki couldn't help but smirk. "We have to stop meeting like this," Loki quipped, enjoying the way Thor's jaw ticked. "Come on now. Don't tell me I've finally pushed you too far?"

"I'm not here to offer you clemency this time, Brother," Thor said softly and Loki was surprised at the sadness that laced his words. "In fact, I'm under strict instructions by our Father to kill you if you defy him any further."

"How often you forget that you speak on behalf of your father and not mine," Loki reminded him through gritted teeth. "My father already left me for dead. And failed."

"You're to return with me to face trial in Asgard as was planned before you made your escape," Thor stated, ignoring Loki's jibe. "Only there will be no leniency granted now. In all likelihood, you will be sentenced to death. If you come with me now and do not resist, I promise I will do all I can to sway Father otherwise. I'm sorry."

"Can't do that, Brother," Loki replied evenly, deliberately referring to Thor's familial side in an attempt to appease him. "There's too much at stake here."

"Then we agree on something," Thor said coldly. "You will not bring your fury upon this world as you did with Earth. I won't let it happen again. Last chance."

"You heard me," Loki reaffirmed.

Thor's blue eyes looked crestfallen for a moment but he blinked it away as his face hardened. "So be it."

Loki was prepared but before Odin's son could so much as raise his hammer, Loreley seemed to sense the danger and immediately leapt forth from under Loki's cloak. The tiny reptile landed on the ground between them, growling obscenely for such a delicate little creature and snapping her teeth in what only she could possibly deem to be an intimidating manner.

Thor stared down at the young dragon, hammer raised mid air and his angry scowl still frozen on his face. His eyes darted briefly to his brother's and Loki couldn't hold back his grimace as Loreley actually attempted to bite Thor's toes through his boot.

"What... is... that?" Thor enunciated slowly, moving his boot back to which Loreley promptly followed, still gnashing her teeth. Loki sighed and slammed his sceptre down into the ground harshly, lodging it deep into the mud of the rocky hillside. He then stepped forward, scooping Loreley up before Thor could make a move against her and tucked her back under his arm.

"My responsibility," Loki said firmly, daring Thor to challenge him. When Thor continued to look confused Loki held Loreley out at arm's length, letting his brother get a good look at her at eye level. At this height, it was far easier to see the silver and lilac scales that adorned her body, the divine blue eyes and the small, yet impressive horns that jutted from her head. "I know almost all things seem to pale in comparison to your importance but I thought even you might recognise a dragon when you see one." As soon as he said it, Thor's expression morphed into one of astonishment.

"Impossible," Thor argued, shaking his head in denial.

Loreley did something then that astounded both of them. With an odd noise that sounded remarkably like a hiccup, Loreley snorted flame through the gaps in her teeth. It shot forward several feet, making Thor retreat to a safe distance whilst Loki stared at her with a mixture of surprise and pride. It was her first flame.

"Satisfied?" Loki asked Thor, cradling Loreley back against his chest.

"Those beasts have been extinct for thousands of years," Thor insisted stubbornly. "It must be a close relative."

"Like what?" Loki said sarcastically. "A fire breathing gargoyle, perhaps?"

Thor glared at him and raised his hammer defensively again causing Loreley to strain in Loki's arms, growling protectively. Loki couldn't help but feel some slight admiration towards the young creature, amazed that she would even try to defend him. The bond that Loreley felt for her mother, Daenerys, was stronger than ever and it could be seen by the way she fiercely protected Loki. This more than anything reassured him that Daenerys was safe, at least for now.

When Thor noticed that he would not be able to hurt Loki without injuring the young dragon in the process, he gave a grunt of annoyance and slammed the hammer into the ground where it remained discarded along with Loki's sceptre.

"Excellent," Loki said with forced cheer. "Now perhaps we can talk like civilised immortals."

"I don't know what you have planned for this world," Thor said gratingly. "Or the dragon for that matter." He jerked his head in the direction of Loreley who responded with an indignant snap of her jaws. "But your schemes are likely to fail as they always have."

Loki gave a dark chuckle. "Fail, Brother? Why I'm exactly where I should be. It is you who is out of your element."

"Just because you are the first Asgardian to travel to this world in a millennia does not mean you may claim it as your own," Thor interjected harshly.

Loki gave him a sly look. "As always, you assume the worst of me when really you have no idea what I have planned for this world."

"Same Loki," Thor said defiantly with a shake of his head. "Maybe with a few new tricks..." His eyes flickered briefly toward the dragon in Loki's hands once more and then back to his face. "But we both know how this fable ends."

Loki's determined expression wavered for a moment and he knew that Thor saw it. He turned away and set Loreley down on some rocks, watching as she turned around in several circles before settling into a comfortable sitting position. "It may have started out that way," Loki admitted softly as he turned back to Thor. "But things are different now."

Thor snorted brutishly. "Right. Next thing you'll tell me, some fair maiden has stolen your heart."

Loki's face remained serious and sincere. "Actually I gave it to her. Freely."

Thor crossed his arms in front of his broad chest and it was all Loki could do not to roll his eyes. It was funny how his brother could talk of how he hadn't changed when in fact Thor was every bit the same now as when he was battling bilgesnipes. He still resorted to his brawny muscles when things didn't go his way.

"You?" Thor echoed disbelievingly. "You expect me to buy that Loki of Asgard actually cares about someone other than himself?"

Loki spread his arms in a harmless gesture. "Hey, if it could happen to Thor Odinson..." Loki's eyes sparkled with his roguish insinuation.

"Leave Jane out of this," Thor snarled.

"You always wished that I was more like you," Loki reminded him grimly. "But now the shoe is on the other foot and I've found a world where I can escape the confines of your shadow, you want to drag me back. Forgive me if I'm reluctant to comply."

"You were taken back to Asgard to answer for your war crimes on Earth," Thor said savagely. "Your being here has nothing to do with a woman! You're here to appease your insatiable need to rule!"

"You're not even half right this time, Brother," Loki hissed through his teeth. The winds picked up around them, reminding Loki that Daenerys was still out in the storm, probably over half way to Dragonstone by now. He edged backward ever so slowly, knowing Thor would notice if he moved too suddenly. He didn't actually want to hurt Thor and he had no need to if his brother made no move against him.

"Believe what you will," Loki continued, his eyes flashing dangerously. "It makes no difference. But there is someone out there right now who needs me. And you're keeping me from her."

Thor's eyes lightened a bit and he seemed to consider Loki's words. "Why should I believe you?" he asked suspiciously but Loki noticed the way his hand was more relaxed now.

There was nothing else for it. Loki knew there was only one way to convince his brother. He strode forward before Thor could misinterpret his actions and placed a hand directly against his brother's chest. Thor still looked doubtful as his eyes flicked awkwardly to the hand against his chest.

"I have used no trickery, Brother," Loki said honestly. "I am as you find me. Come if you must, but I am going to find her." He removed his hand and waited for the knowledge to sink in as Thor debated his options.

"If what you say is true," Thor said carefully. "It does not absolve you of your other sins. I'm not sure I will ever be able to forgive you."

"I didn't ask you to," Loki said, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice. "Make no mistake, I don't pretend to suddenly be a noble pillar of virtue. I have not changed. I've just found something I want more than the throne of Asgard." It was the first time he had admitted it so openly but Loki recognised the truth in his own words as soon as he said it. What's more was Thor could hear it too. And even though his brother would no doubt search for some underlying motive (and he could hardly blame him), even Thor could not find what simply did not exist. "I'm still selfish by your standards," Loki warned him. "I have no plans to return with you and face trial. Everything I want is here and I will stop at nothing to get her back."

"Whether you shall return with me or not isn't your decision to make," Thor determined but his voice had softened considerably. "Who is she?" he asked, unable to keep the curiosity from leaking into his voice.

"A princess," Loki murmured reverently. "A Queen... A Targaryen."

As it did when Loki first heard the name, the title struck a chord within Thor. Names held value in Asgard and a name such as that of Daenerys' family held true power regardless of the world you came from.

"Targaryen?" Thor repeated. "It sounds..."

"Powerful," Loki admitted. "She is."

At this realisation, Thor's expression turned guarded once more, not trusting Loki's motives in regards to this mystery woman. Thor looked at the dragon that Loki had been carrying as he slowly began to make the connection and his eyes narrowed on his brother once more.

"If I was going to take this world, I'd need an army, not a woman," Loki pointed out. "She is powerful, I won't deny it. But she is not even yet fully aware of her own capabilities."

"And you hope to mould it for your own benefit?" Thor accused.

"Hardly," Loki said softly. "If I were to use her for the deeds you accuse me of, it would destroy her. She values life in a way that we do not. I could never ask her to do the things I have done. And I never will."

A moment of silence passed between them before Thor gave his gruff reply. "I'll help you find this woman. But Odin help you if you are lying to me."

"I just want to find Daenerys," Loki replied honestly and Thor jerked in surprise upon hearing the maiden's name. "She is all that matters."

"In that case you were wrong, Brother," Thor responded to which Loki raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Something within you has changed."

...

**End of the first chapter! I always liked the idea of Thor and Loki working together instead of against each other! Even if it is a strained truce. They are brothers right? **


	2. Chapter 2: The Dead Rise Again

**Chapter 2: The Dead Rise Again**

_**You only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything, he's no longer in your power – he's free again.**_

_- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn_

The darkness would have been overwhelming if not for the light which shone faintly in the cheeks of Daenerys' young dragons. They were not breathing fire as they usually would, but instead allowed a glimmer of flame to burn just behind their jaws. The tunnel was so dark that even the faint glow seemed bright enough for Daenerys as she crept through the catacombs of the keep. After climbing down from the cliffs with the aid of her dragons, it hadn't taken long to find the entrance to the sea cave. Dragonstone was so far removed from the rest of Westeros that the proud Stannis had not even bothered to guard all of the entrances into his borrowed domain. Beyond the cave, vast tunnels extended beneath the fortress as the passage led directly into Dragonstone. The Targaryens were well known for their resourcefulness, determination and of course their strong dislike of having their backs against the wall. As such, they had built their strongholds upon vast undergrounds, constructing passages which only their own blood could successfully navigate.

Daenerys could hear the faint sounds of tinkering and hammering overhead and she gauged her position as somewhere beneath the blacksmith. _One day_, she thought to herself, _one day I shall bring back the smithing of Valyrian steel. The book of Daenys Targaryen will yield the forgotten secrets of how the precious metal was forged. Through fire and power_. She smiled at the idea as she pushed on and the blacksmithing sounds faded into the darkness.

Daenerys was relying on the sketches she had seen of Dragonstone as a child since she had never actually laid eyes on the fortress herself. Even at an early age however, the sketches of the castle had always reminded her of The Great Wall in the North. It was tall for a fortress and although its stone base was met with water instead of snow, it still looked like the edge of the world just like the Wall. Viserys had once told her that the only way for an outsider to conquer Dragonstone was to first conquer the ocean around it. Dragonstone was perched perilously close to the jagged sea cliffs and yet somehow the great stone construct remained standing. It should have been reclaimed by the sea hundreds of years ago but still it endured, acting as an eternal reminder of the dragons that had once lived in its towers.

A soft growl from Viseryion had Daenerys freezing in her tracks as she strained to listen in the darkness. Her dragons paused as well, huffing for a moment before the fire in their cheeks extinguished completely, leaving Daenerys blind in the catacombs. She held her breath, not daring to move and listened intently. She found herself subconsciously reaching for the dagger which she had tied hastily to her sash when she left Yunkai, feeling the comforting weight in her hand. Despite Viseryion's growl, the only sound that could be heard was the faint wind which echoed down the tunnel from the distant sea cave entrance. Daenerys let out a small sigh of relief and relaxed her shoulders.

A bright flame suddenly sprung out of the blackness, illuminated in the hand of a tall woman as Daenerys leapt back in shock. A roar signalled Drogon's fury and flames erupted from his jaws, shooting in the direction of the woman. She reacted quickly, holding her arm out, palm extended so that the fire did not reach her body. Daenerys watched in amazement as the woman guided the flames around her body so that Drogon's scorching breath did not burn her in the slightest. Daenerys' largest dragon snapped his jaws shut with an indignant snarl and growled at the woman instead. The woman lowered her arm ever so slowly, still producing the flaming embers in her hand though not as brightly. Daenerys' eyes widened as the tall woman regarded her curiously and Daenerys also took the chance to run her gaze down the woman's figure. She was dressed entirely in a blood red gown and her hair which fell loose over her shoulders was also unmistakeably red. _A red woman with control over the fire_. Daenerys put two and two together rather quickly, seizing the dagger from her belt and holding it in front of her defensively. Her powers of heat were of little use against a woman who could control the flames as well as herself, perhaps even better. But Daenerys still had one advantage that the Red Woman did not. Daenerys could not be harmed by fire but she was willing to bet this woman could and that's why she would not let her dragon's flames reach her skin. And more importantly, the woman could still be hurt with a blade.

The Red Woman stared at the Mother of Dragons with evident interest but she did not appear afraid even as Daenerys gripped the blade tighter. "Daenerys Targaryen," the woman acknowledged and to her great astonishment, the woman dipped into a low curtsy although she kept her gaze trained on Daenerys. Straightening, the woman took a step forward and Daenerys responded by narrowing her eyes and pointing the dagger threateningly. The woman's eyes flashed to the weapon briefly before a coy smile curved her lips.

"There was a time where you may have needed that against me," the woman said as her face turned serious once more. "But it is not now, Mother of Dragons. Now, time is running out."

"For you maybe," Daenerys responded as her eyes sparkled in warning. She stepped toward Drogon and the dragon nuzzled her shoulder protectively. Viseryion and Rhaegal bared their teeth savagely at the Red Woman, moving into a protective stance in front of their Mother. "I wonder how your magic would fair against the claws and teeth of my dragons." Drogon gave an answering hiss, opening his jaws in appreciation.

The Red Woman truly was fearless even as her own demise stared her in the face. "Not very well," the woman said calmly, noting the size of Drogon's incisors. "But you stand to gain nothing by my death. I can help you."

"I disagree," Daenerys challenged, ignoring the small part of her that acknowledged the truth in the woman's words. _Why did the woman not simply attack?_ "No one can know I am here."

"But I knew you would be here," the woman continued. "I foresaw it some time ago. Although I must admit, I envisaged you coming here in a very different manner. Regardless, this moment was always destined to come to pass. It was the last vision I had before the apparitions in the flames disappeared. Surely even you can see the merit of this?"

"Perhaps you foresaw your own doom," Daenerys suggested dangerously, still not lowering her dagger. The Red Woman smiled and her hand moved to her dress. The movement caught Daenerys off guard and she stepped back in case the woman produced a weapon. But the woman instead retrieved a large, packed leather bound book from within her robes. Its pages were aged and frayed and the green colour of the leather was definitely fading, but miraculously the journal had withstood the vestiges of time and was otherwise undamaged. A Valyrian steel lock completed its cover and since the woman produced no key, Daenerys could only assume it had not been opened in some time. Daenerys gasped as she recognised the book immediately. It was the journal of Daenys Targaryen.

"You could only have one purpose in coming here willingly and without an army to escort you," the woman determined, holding the book out toward Daenerys. She waited for Daenerys to take the journal but she remained frozen in place, unsure of the Red Woman's motives.

"Why?" she demanded. Everything she had heard about the Red Woman didn't add up to the woman who stood in front of her now. "You serve the Red God. I despise everything about your hateful Lord of Light, from the unshakable devotion of his followers to the burning of innocent people at the stake. Why would you help me?"

"I serve the realm," the Red Woman corrected, although it seemed to take some effort on her part to admit this. "My faith in the Lord of Light has always been in the interests of Westeros, regardless of what others may think of my motives. However the Lord of Light no longer serves the realm. Perhaps he never did. He will see this world burn. I will not condemn us all to torment and ruin. Not even for the Lord of Light."

"So this is a question of faith?" Daenerys said coldly. "You expect me to believe that?"

The woman raised a calculative eyebrow. "Believe what you will, but it is not a question. The Lord of Light is the only being with enough power to end this world. And he will. The war is coming and it will not be a battle of Kings that sweeps this Earth. It will be fire reigning down upon a savaged wasteland of blood and death. He will meet the Great Other in a final confrontation and the war of fire and ice will begin. That is what awaits us."

_The Great Other?_ Something tugged in the corner of Daenerys' mind, something that told her the Great Other was more important than she knew, but she tried to ignore it as she stared at the Red Woman defiantly.

"You knew this when you joined the order of the Red Priesthood," Daenerys accused. "This version of how the world will end is nothing new. I give no credence to it. No one can possibly know how the world will fall, not even your Red God."

"Then you are a fool," the Red Woman snapped harshly. "You've seen proof of his powers yet you would still deny them? This has been set down since this world breathed its first breath."

"All I've seen so far," Daenerys said bitterly. "Is a group of deluded individuals dressed all in red garb, following a God they are convinced is the right one. Do you know how many gods there are? How many religions?" Daenerys did not give the woman a chance to respond as she ploughed ahead. "I could care less which god is the true God. This is _my_ realm. It belongs to the people and the gods have no right to it."

"Did you ever think the Lord of Light might have killed all the other gods?" the Red Woman stated bluntly and Daenerys blinked. The woman's calm demeanour faltered a bit as she continued. "I admit, I did not consider it myself for a long time but it is the only explanation that makes sense. The Doom is always remembered as the cataclysmic event that ended the dragons. I believe it may have been the first battle of the gods."

Daenerys could see this woman was fully invested in what she believed and though some of it unfortunately made sense, it also meant that everything that had happened was preordained by some cosmic power. Daenerys was firm of the mind that their destiny was in their own hands and she would fight for it every step of the way. "No," Daenerys denied. "If this was set down from the beginning then your Red God has already won. There wouldn't be any point in fighting anymore."

The Red Woman's gaze softened and it was an odd expression to see on her harsh face. She glanced down at the book in her hands once more before holding it out to Daenerys again. "Maybe when you've read this, you'll change your mind," the Red Woman said softly. "This war I speak of was never envisioned by the gods. It was predicted by your ancestor, Daenys Targaryen."

The words fell on Daenerys like a cold stone pillar and she shivered involuntarily. "Daenys believed that the war between the Great Other and the Lord of Light would bring about the end of the world," the Red Woman continued hastily, now that she could see she had Daenerys' attention. "She wrote it in her journal so that her family would never forget. But when the Doom destroyed Old Valyria, the book was lost. It was found some years later by a group of starved priests who took the journal into their possession."

"Daenys believed in the Red God?" Daenerys echoed in horror.

"She believed in what she foresaw," the Red Woman confirmed. "And so she wrote it down. Translations of her visions filtered down through the temples over the years until a new brotherhood was born."

"No," Daenerys whispered. "No, Daenys would never have founded the Red religion."

"Not intentionally," The Red Woman admitted. "But you must understand her visions were so accurate, and at times quite frequent, that many perceived her to be a Seer of the gods. Her foresight saved your family from the Doom, Daenerys. As the last blood mortals with a connection to the dragons, the Targaryens were inevitably able to conquer Westeros."

"I know my history," Daenerys snapped, unintentionally lashing out.

The Red Woman tilted her head apologetically. "I entreat your pardon. I did not mean to question your knowledge of your ancestors. I'm sure you are aware that Daenys' visions were only ever intended for her family which is why she sealed the contents within this journal." She held up the book for emphasis. "It has never been opened. Not since Daenys first closed it before the Doom."

Daenerys looked at her suspicious dragons who awaited her command and then back at the book in that the woman held in her hands. "How can the Red Brotherhood have supported a religion based on a book that has not been opened in centuries?"

The Red Woman looked away and Daenerys detected a vague hint of uncertainty. "As I have said, loose translations were transcribed throughout the years. But it is also well known within our factions that a servant to the Targaryens was left behind during the conquering of Westeros. He even remained here at Dragonstone as a Ward after the formation of the Seven Kingdoms. When word reached his ears of the journal that the old priests had discovered in the ruins of Valyria, he offered to translate some of the visions which he himself had witnessed years before. It is understood however that he decided to respect the Targaryen's wishes that the journal never be opened except by their blood. Even though the journal remained closed, he was able to transcribe a decent number of the visions that Daenys had had over the years since he had been witness to most of them. He also translated the words on the cover of the journal, including the words of your house. Fire and Blood."

"And I suppose the Red Brotherhood kept the journal sealed all these years out of the goodness of their hearts?" Daenerys quipped doubtfully.

The Red Woman allowed a flicker of a smirk to ghost across her lips. "Some have tried," she confessed. "But the lock is of Valyrian steel. Nigh impenetrable. And it would be impossible to open the book by other means without compromising the pages and contents."

Daenerys felt a tad smug at these words, feeling quite proud of her ancestors for their attempts to protect their family secrets. "You said there have been other translations over the years," Daenerys voiced curiously. "These scripts talk of the final battle with the Red God?"

"The Lord of Light," the Red Woman corrected. "But yes, essentially it tells of the final confrontation which will cover the world in fire and ice."

"And this Great Other?" Daenerys prompted, dreading the answer. "What of him?"

The Red Woman's lips pulled back into a thin line and Daenerys could see she was uncomfortable with this line of inquiry. "Very little is known of the Great Other," the Red Woman said as her knuckles turned white against the journal she clutched. "He is known to us only as the god of Death and his coldness and cruelty brought about the existence of the White Walkers. His true form is that of a frozen demon, a being of ice and death."

_Loki_. Daenerys could not help the unbidden thought that entered her mind as she thought of Loki's other form, the one that turned his skin blue and his eyes red.

"How can you be certain that the Great Other is evil?" Daenerys argued, feeling her womb flutter with discomfort. She resisted putting a comforting hand against the young life within.

The Red Woman narrowed her eyes. "What else could he be?"

"You stood by your Red God for years," Daenerys insisted. "You call him the Lord of Light because he commands fire and because you thought he would protect you against the Long Night. But you were wrong. In the end, what makes fire any more noble than ice?"

"I am not convinced either side would be of benefit to us," the Red Woman determined. "The Lord of Light has deceived his followers for a long time so that he could meet his rival in battle. You should know that they _want_ this to happen, Mother of Dragons. Neither God cares what will happen to the mortal world once this is all over."

"But you cannot be certain," Daenerys challenged. "Perhaps it was the Great Other who was always destined to protect us against the Red God."

The Red Woman stared at her doubtfully. "If that was true, then what use would he have for the White Walkers? Why raise the dead to maim and kill mortals if he was destined to protect them?"

Daenerys could not argue with this logic however she refused to believe that Loki would have anything to do with the White Walkers. _So why is it that they have returned so soon after Loki's arrival?_ A betraying voice nagged in the back of her mind and Daenerys pushed it away with all the force she could muster. _No_, she thought savagely. _Loki is good. He wouldn't do anything like this._

"Neither God intends to help us," the Red Woman said with certainty, oblivious to Daenerys' internal struggles. "The White Walkers are an abomination of the Great Other. They are his servants in the eternal night and the fact that they have risen again means that the final battle is upon us."

"Risen again?" Daenerys demanded, ignoring her doubts for the time being. "What do you mean?"

The Red Woman abruptly brandished flames in the air, making Daenerys step back in alarm but all that appeared was a fiery script, charred at first but the parchment quickly reformed itself in the flames. The paper then fell into the Red Woman's outstretched hand, completely untouched and with no indication that it had been burned at all. "A letter from the Wall," the Red Woman uttered, holding it up so that Daenerys could read the untidy scrawl written across the page. "The White Walkers have been sighted in the North. The dead march against the living and the Long Night will begin again."

Daenerys stepped back, feeling her dread creep through gut like an icy blade. "The White Walkers have really returned?" she whispered in horror, her childhood stories of terror flickering through her memory. "If they have risen again then..." She trailed off, thinking of the soldiers who would undoubtedly be slaughtered as they tried to defend the Wall. Their frozen corpses would not even get the chance to rot before they were claimed by the darkness and they would rise against the comrades they had once fought beside. To be killed by a White Walker was a fate worse than death for even as your lifeblood ebbed away, your carcass would live on, killing and maiming in your place.

Everyone knew the horrors of the White Walkers but they had not been seen for thousands of years. Many believed, or hoped maybe, that the Walkers were a myth told by the First Men to frighten their children and prevent them from wondering off into the Long Night. But the warnings were told in every culture, in every religion and it was quite possibly the only tale that all mortals could agree upon. The coming of the White Walkers meant certain death.

"I see now you are taking my words seriously, Mother of Dragons," the Red Woman said in a scornful tone. "I warned you that you would need my help."

Daenerys stood taller and with one look to her dragons, they crawled forward and hissed menacingly. The Red Woman took a tentative step back, enough for Daenerys to see that she had finally broken through her smug demeanour. The Red Woman was afraid.

"Let me be quite clear," Daenerys told her firmly. "I do not trust you in the slightest. You may claim to serve the realm but you and I both know the truth. You're in this to save your own skin. I know your abhorrent God has abandoned you. Why else would you suddenly turn on your faith?" Daenerys could see her words were having an effect on the Red Woman and she continued mercilessly. "You have never hesitated before to serve him. I have heard talk in Slaver's Bay of your despicable deeds. The Red God commanded you to burn people, _innocent _people, at the stake and you never once questioned the immorality of those acts. There is only one reason why you would turn against your precious Lord of Light now."

The Red Woman opened her mouth to argue but a warning growl from Rhaegal immediately halted her words. "Because you are a woman scorned," Daenerys said resolutely. "Nothing more. Serving the realm means serving the people and you have no idea what it means to serve anyone but yourself or your Red God. Daenys warned me about you my dreams. If you think I am going to take your word over the advice of my ancestors, than you are sorely mistaken."

Daenerys held her hand out for the book. "The only thing I want from you now is my ancestor's journal," she finished firmly. "You can keep your life for what it's worth. I have a feeling you won't be much of a threat to either side now."

The Red Woman gazed at Daenerys in mutual respect and hatred. It was quite extraordinary really that the Mother of Dragons had so easily been able to read her when so few had any clear idea of her motives. It was true that she did want to keep her own life and that the Lord of Light had spurned her devotion to him, but still she stood to gain nothing if the White Walkers returned. She would perish as surely as any mortal and she was certain now that the Lord of Light would not mourn her death.

"I can still be of use to you," she tried again, holding the journal out as requested. Daenerys snatched the book from her hands, holding it carefully in her palm as her eyes took in the solid lock.

"We're done," Daenerys finished coldly, before turning from the Red Woman to leave. Her dragons growled as a warning not to follow and the Red Woman panicked as she saw her last chance to stop the war walking away from her.

"R'Nhor is alive," she cried out and her words had the intended effect on Daenerys as she took in a sharp breath.

"You're lying," Daenerys hissed as she rounded on the woman.

"I'm not," the Red Woman said truthfully. "He is here at Dragonstone. He has come at the bidding of the Lord of Light. To do his will."

"And you tell me this now?" Daenerys said angrily.

"I had every intention of telling you," The Red Woman protested. "But you are rather quick to judge, Mother of Dragons."

"Why?" Daenerys demanded. "What purpose does the Red God have for a dead man?"

"He is the vessel," the Red Woman admitted grudgingly. "He will carry the Lord of Light's godly essence and harbour it in his own flesh and blood form. I initially believed it to be Stannis for that is what my visions showed me. I have since discovered that R'Nhor is the true vessel. Stannis was used as a decoy to keep your enemies distracted."

"You believed Stannis Baratheon, the shunned, older brother of the man who claimed my family's throne, was the vessel of a God?" Daenerys echoed in disbelief. Out loud it was hard to deny the absurdity of the statement but the Red Woman looked entirely serious.

"Stannis has more power than even he knows he is capable of," the Red Woman defended. "In hindsight he would have been a good vessel if the Lord of Light had pure intentions. As it is, R'Nhor is exactly what he needs. I promise that I had no idea, Daenerys-"

"Stop calling me by my name," Daenerys snapped at last, feeling her fury get the better of her. "You have no right to address me so informally and you will gain no power over me by doing so."

The Red Woman blinked, astonished the Mother of Dragons knew the power of a name and she immediately recanted. "Would it help if you knew my name as well?" she asked respectfully.

Daenerys' eyes flashed in spite. "You may tell it to me but I stand by what I said. You will not address me by my name. Ever."

"Very well, Mother of Dragons," the Red Woman conceded. "If it will help gain your favour, you may know my name. I am called Melisandre."

Daenerys had no intention of referring to her as Melisandre but she was glad that the Red Woman would henceforth refrain from addressing her by her own name. Names were composed of power and personal feelings, just as Loki had told her, and she did not wish to share either with this woman.

"If R'Nhor is indeed the vessel," Daenerys questioned as she thought over the woman's words. "Then the Red God intends to become flesh?"

Melisandre nodded once. "It is the only way for him to achieve his goals. He must meet the Great Other in battle in corporeal form. There is no other way."

"Then he can be killed," Daenerys determined, feeling her hope lifting.

"Yes," Melisandre confirmed. "As can the Great Other. If they do not kill each other first that is."

"What happens if the final battle begins?" Daenerys asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"If the Lord of Light meets the Great Other in battle, they will lay siege to the world in their attempts to destroy each other. The prophecy goes however that the Gods chose a hero who would act as a shield against death, a warrior who would wield a weapon called Lightbringer. The warrior was chosen to defend the mortals against the siege of the White Walkers." Melisandre closed her eyes then and began to recite, as though from a text:

"_When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone_."

Daenerys froze, feeling her own breath escape her as she heard the prophecy which to effect had awoken her dragons. With fire and blood, she had hatched her three children and within days she had glimpsed the red comet in the sky. More than one person had been certain the red comet was a sign of the Gods. _Was it possible_?

"And this Azor Ahai..." Daenerys murmured in dismay. "This warrior was male, I assume?"

"Yes," Melisandre answered. "A warrior reborn to fight against the Others. The White Walkers."

Daenerys breathed a small sigh of relief, not wanting to be named as the reincarnated warrior directly opposed to the Great Other, in case the prophecy should be referring to Loki after all.

Melisandre's next words however left Daenerys feeling uncertain once more. "Azor Ahai is to wield the weapon Lightbringer when the final battle commences. Many versions of the prophecy determine that Lightbringer is a sword which Azor Ahai forged by killing his wife and imbuing the steel of the sword with her soul."

Daenerys glared at Melisandre in outrage, horrified at the idea that this man should be thought of as any sort of hero. "But," Melisandre continued as she noted Daenerys' fury. "The more popular belief among the Red Brotherhood is that Lightbringer is a three headed dragon which Azor Ahai rides against the Others, burning them away and returning them to the corpses they once were."

"There has never been a three headed dragon," Daenerys said uncertainly.

Melisandre shrugged. "It is the words of the prophecy, transcribed by priests over hundreds of years and as you can see there are many interpretations and contradictions. The only certain prophecy lies in that book." Melisandre gestured to the journal in Daenerys' hands.

"That's why you need me to open it," Daenerys realised.

Melisandre gazed up at the ceiling of the tunnel as though trying to see the stars. "Now you see why I have come to you," she said in a hushed voice. "It is the only way to know for sure and I suspect it is the only way we will ever win this war against the Gods. We have to read the prophecy that was first predicted by Daenys Targaryen all those years ago."

Daenerys took a deep breath, knowing this was what she had come for but still unable to believe the person who had come to her as an unlikely ally.

She held up a warning finger. "Betray me," Daenerys said, her eyes intent and focused, "And my dragons shall burn you until not even your ashes remain."

Melisandre smiled, impressed with the strength of the woman before her and she tilted her head in acknowledgement. "If I betray you, there will be nothing left of this _world_ but ash," she told Daenerys firmly.

Daenerys nodded as she looked at the journal in her hands. "Only my blood will unlock it," she echoed thoughtfully. "I guess we will have to see how literal this really is." She looked at Melisandre quickly. "Do you have a copy of the transcribed prophecy here at Dragonstone?"

Melisandre cocked her head in acknowledgement. "Retrieve it," Daenerys commanded. "We may need to compare it to the journal to see what parts have been mistranslated over the years."

"There is a room not far from these tunnels," Melisandre suggested. "R'Nhor is unaware of it because it was intended as a means of escape only for Stannis if an army was to storm this place. It has a draft but it has the necessary light as well as the books we will be needing."

"Lead the way," Daenerys offered.

Melisandre turned to lead Daenerys down the tunnel but paused momentarily. "There is something else you should know," she said, turning back to Daenerys with a dark expression. "The Lord of Light has plans for you, as I'm sure you're aware."

Daenerys scoffed. "His plans for me fell through, don't worry. I have already hatched my other dragon."

Melisandre looked to the dragons behind Daenerys, possibly wondering where the younger dragon was, before she returned her gaze to the young Queen. "I'm afraid that was merely the tip of his schemes. If R'Nhor had succeeded in his plans when he captured you, you might be in a very different place right now."

"I don't understand," Daenerys voiced uncertainly.

"He didn't just want command of your youngest dragon," Melisandre warned darkly. "He wanted command of all your dragons as well as your allegiance. You are the last Targaryen heir, the last mortal with a blood connection to the beasts. For him to gain control of them, to use them in battle against his nemesis, there would need to be a new heir. _His _heir."

Daenerys could feel the bile threatening to rise in her chest as the full weight of what Melisandre was implying began to sink in. "You mean he wanted me to..." Daenerys couldn't utter the last words, feeling sick to her stomach.

"Yes," Melisandre spoke quietly. "As far as I know, his plans have not changed. He still intends for you to carry his progeny if he gets a hold of you." Daenerys swallowed in revulsion, her hands going around her womb protectively. "All I'm saying," Melisandre said gently. "Is you may come to wish you were dead if R'Nhor finds you again. Once we are through here, you need to get as far away as you can. Do you understand?"

Daenerys nodded as her stomach churned, disgusted by the idea that someone would wish to use her in this way and yet relieved that at present there was nothing the Red God could do. She already carried Loki's child and she was certain that Great Other or not, Loki would never allow for her or his child to be harmed. Satisfied that Daenerys had heeded her warning, Melisandre turned to lead her back down the corridor. "Remember," Melisandre cautioned as they traipsed back along the tunnel with Daenerys' dragons in tow, guarding against potential threats. "A man who seeks power is dangerous. A God who seeks power is something else entirely."

"And what about a Mother protecting her young?" Daenerys quipped much to the amusement of Melisandre. "What do they say about that?" Melisandre, of course, did not suspect that Daenerys was not only referring to her dragons but also the fragile life growing within her.

_Besides_, Daenerys thought with a hopeful smile_, the Red God is already too late_. _Loki is the father of my child and he is the only God who will have a say in their destiny._

...

**Hey guys! I am so so sorry this took so long but it was awfully hard to try and fit all of the prophecy stuff into this story in a way that makes sense! I hope it is not too confusing for you and I hope this chapter wasn't too boring. There will be more action in the next chapter, I promise. For now, see if you guys can guess as to how Loki fits into all of this. Is he the Great Other or is it something else? And what about Daenerys? Is she Azor Ahai or is it her child? Hehe I know I'm mean for playing with you all but I can't help it. And if you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I will try to answer them in the next chapter without giving too much away. **


	3. Chapter 3: He Comes

**Chapter 3: He Comes**

_**Loki**_

"Surely we are there by now?" Loki yelled above the roaring weather. Thor and Loki were hurtling through the sky at lightning speed, carried on the air currents by Thor's legendary hammer. Loreley did not seem to mind this method of travel at all as she gleefully stuck her head out from under Loki's cloak while it whipped out behind him. Or perhaps it was merely the fact that as a dragon she was predisposed towards flying.

"Soon!" Thor shouted in response. "That's assuming you know where you're going!" He held his right arm aloft, gripping the mighty hammer tightly whilst he clung to the shoulders of Loki with his free arm. The storm had died down somewhat and as they shot past mountains and clearings, the sky was gradually becoming clearer. It was almost dawn and Loki noticed the first rays of sunlight peaking across the horizon.

"Trust me!" Loki determined, his eyes nearly tearing up on account of the speed at which they were travelling. "We are close. I can feel her as I have felt no other before. We're connected."

"You're what?" Thor bellowed, trying to drown out the sounds of the howling wind. "Say that again!"

"I said we're connected!" Loki shouted in frustration. "Can't you just land now? We're practically on top of them!"

Thor grunted in response and redirected the hammer toward the ground.

"Wait!" Loki cried in alarm but it was already too late. Both brothers plummeted toward the earth and Loki braced himself for impact. Loreley seemed to sense the danger and with a light growl, she launched herself from Loki's shoulders before she could be crushed by his weight.

The hammer lodged itself deep within the soil and Thor and Loki slammed into the ground with enough force to kill an ordinary man. In the case of the immortals however, it was merely a jarring impact as the brothers broke through rock and dirt on their landing. Loki felt it more than his brother did, as he did not possess the same resilience to the hammer's power. He groaned as he raised his head, unable to believe the mouthful of dirt he had managed to collect on his way down. He spat it out harshly and glared at his brother who was also sitting up. Thor however was wearing a triumphant grin and Loki hurled a decent sized hunk of dirt at him to wipe the smirk off his face. Thor easily caught it and chuckled at his brother as he tossed it aside.

"You did that on purpose," Loki accused as he stood and retrieved his fallen sceptre, groaning once more as he felt his limbs all pop back into place.

"Maybe," Thor smiled.

"If you are so determined to punish me in some way," Loki growled, "You might first give a thought to Daenerys' young dragon next time!"

Thor's smile immediately fell and he glanced up to see the youngling hovering on her delicate wings in the air. She was evidently still getting used to her own wings and consequently they couldn't carry her very far yet. She landed softly a few feet away from them and blinked at Thor curiously.

"She's alright," Thor said quietly. "I apologise. I did not think."

"As usual," Loki snapped, holding out his arm to which Loreley promptly flapped her wings again and launched herself up onto his shoulder.

"Careful, brother," Thor groused. "Do you wish for my help or not?"

"I'd just as soon see you return to Asgard now," Loki replied in annoyance. "I thank you for getting me this far but I think I can fetch Daenerys on my own."

Thor remained where he was standing as an awkward expression crossed his face. Loki smiled suddenly as he recalled his own lack of strength when he first arrived in Hygard. He knew it would be a while before his brother could actually return to Asgard since both his physical and supernatural strength were severely diminished for the time being. "Oh, but you can't," Loki murmured with barely contained amusement. "You'll need some time to regain your strength before you can return."

Thor's eyes narrowed. "Until that time," Thor growled. "I'm not letting you out of my sight. I still haven't made up my mind as to whether you shall return with me yet."

Loki stared at the dark trees around him and breathed deep, smelling the distinct scent of salt on the air. His heart flared with a hot reminder that the woman he sought was close, almost close enough to touch. "Maybe this will help you decide," Loki told his brother as he stalked past Thor and shoved aside some thicker branches. Thor came to stand behind him and took in a sharp breath as he witnessed the sight before him.

A few miles off, perched several hundred feet above the waves and atop perilous cliffs was a stony fortress. Its dark towers loomed with an ominous presence and Loki could picture what once must have been a mighty castle. Now it was just a ghost. The warm sensation in his chest intensified and Loki smiled in relief. Daenerys was alive and she was without a doubt somewhere within that castle.

"What is that place?" Thor asked, evidently just as impressed by the ancient construction as Loki was.

"Dragonstone," Loki responded resolutely.

**...**

_**Daenerys**_

Huddled in the corner of a darkened room, Daenerys sighed with frustration as she attempted once more to pry open the journal of Daenys Targaryen. Her left hand bore the faint traces of dried blood, evidence of her last attempt to open the book with her sliced palm. Her dragons lay several feet away, sharpening their claws against the stone wall.

"Perhaps the phrase that only Daenys' blood would open the journal wasn't meant to be literal," Melisandre suggested from her position by a nearby desk. The Red Woman was sorting through an enormous pile of scrolls as she attempted to decipher the limited translations of Daenys' journal that already existed.

"I'm starting to think that myself," Daenerys said through gritted teeth as her nails bent back when she yanked on the cover once more. She let out a curse and let the book tumble into her lap. She closed her eyes in resignation and leaned back against the wall.

"Read the inscription again," Melisandre said and Daenerys opened her eyes to see the Red Woman staring at her intently. Daenerys sighed, turning the book over to read the Valyrian words carved into the front.

"What was sealed in dragon's flame," she translated in the common tongue. "May only be opened by the blood of its heir."

"The blood of its heir?" Melisandre repeated as she rifled through the papers. "Who was the dragon who forged the lock on the journal?"

Daenerys blinked, startled as she realised what the Red Woman was getting at. "I don't know," Daenerys admitted. "I hadn't thought of it that way."

Melisandre gave a calculative smile. "The dragon's heir does not necessarily translate to your family. There are actual dragons that exist as well."

Daenerys felt a twinge of embarrassment at her assumptions but she pushed it away stubbornly. "Is there anything in your scrolls that mentions the dragon that forged the Valyrian lock?"

Melisandre glanced at the translations in front of her as she shook her head regretfully. "Very little is known about the dragons your family commanded aside from their physical descriptions such as size and colour," she informed Daenerys. She looked at the lock of the journal as it rested in Daenerys' lap. "It really is a fine crafted lock. If you had to hazard a guess, which dragon do you think could forge something so strong and beautiful?"

Even as she said it, Daenerys thought of the dragons that her family had ridden as they conquered Westeros long ago. Her thoughts drifted to the largest of them all, the most terrifying. His wings were so large, they were said to have covered entire towns as he flew over. His shadow was larger than a castle and his teeth were the size of swords.

"Balerion," she answered softly as she gazed at her dragons. "Balerion, the Black Dread."

"And his heir?"

Daenerys sighed. "As far as I know, he never sired any. He was the largest dragon known to man and there were none to equal him before. Or since."

Melisandre frowned as she stood, barely able to contain her frustration. "Then we shall never open this journal," she said, her eyes flashing dangerously as she strode over to the fire place. Her red hair shone with its imbued tones as the flames danced across the wood.

Daenerys lifted her chin in determination. "There has to be a way," she insisted as she stared at the journal in her hands. "My ancestors would not leave a journal behind, only for it never to be opened."

Melisandre all but scoffed. "Perhaps they had planned for Balerion to father hatchlings then. Maybe it never happened." She resumed her place by the desk, her slender fingers tracing the papers scattered across the table. "The largest dragon," she said again, echoing Daenerys' earlier words. "Fire as black as his scales, but with the eyes and claws of the North."

Daenerys had heard similar descriptions from her brother years ago but she tilted her head when Melisandre mentioned the North. Her brother's description of Balerion had never extended beyond the size of his jaws and his striking dark colourings. "His eyes? How do you mean?"

"His eyes were light in comparison to his scales. They were a penetrating blue. Like the ice and skies in the North. And his claws were a frosted silver and tougher than the thickest ice. Or so I've read." Melisandre gave a bitter chuckle. "A bit of an ironic contrast if you think about it."

Daenerys froze at her words. _Blue eyes with claws of silver?_

"Maybe we should test the blood of your three dragons here," Melisandre continued as she watched the beasts curl up together. "Just a drop or two, so we can be sure," she hastened to add.

Daenerys shook her head. "That won't be necessary. I believe Balerion may have had an heir after all."

Melisandre's eyes sparkled with evident interest. "Tell me."

Before Daenerys could respond however, a deafening crash thundered above the room and echoed down throughout the walls. The ceiling cracked and Daenerys gasped as the room rumbled with an unseen force. "What's happening?" she cried. Drogon roared and shielded Rhaegal and Viseryion from a chunk of ceiling as it fell away.

"Oh, no," Melisandre whispered. Her eyes were wide with terror and this more than anything sparked the fear within Daenerys. The Red Woman was frightened. "It's starting," she hissed as she moved away from the wall which was beginning to become unstable. "He's here!"

"Who?" Daenerys was afraid to ask as she swallowed the lump in her throat. She placed her hand against the trembling back of Drogon as he protected her smaller dragons.

"The Lord of Light," Melisandre said darkly as she watched another part of the ceiling fall away. "R'Hllor."

"He's coming here?" Daenerys voiced in horror. "Now?"

"Remember what I told you about the vessel?" Melisandre said as she quickly swept the most integral scrolls on the desk into her arms. "Well, there are three rituals which R'Nhor has to complete before he can awaken R'Hllor. It sounds like he may be at the final stage." Her eyes searched the room frantically. "But I don't understand how he could have finished the first two rituals already."

"What would he require?" Daenerys demanded.

"The first is marked by the blood of the servant and the birth of flame from stone. I admit, I am unsure how this could be accomplished."

Daenerys felt her chest seize with panic. "My dragon," she gasped. "That's why he needed me to hatch the egg. To awaken a dragon from stone. He carved some sort of symbol into his arm after I emerged from the fire with my youngest dragon."

Daenerys could see her own fear mirrored in the eyes of the Red Woman. "Then we are too late," Melisandre said in anguish. "All that is required for the second rite is for the vessel to pledge unswerving fealty to the Lord of Light and prove his loyalty through an act of utter devotion."

"How?"

"To test his faith, R'Nhor must pass into the Land of the Dead and return once more."

"No..." Daenerys trailed off as she realised her own mistake.

"Now you understand," Melisandre said, her voice filled with unease. "R'Nhor has already been killed once. If he had completed the first ritual by then, be assured that he has now completed the second."

"We played right into his hands," Daenerys realised with horror. She felt a cool shiver wrack her body and she grasped her upper arms tightly. "What about the third ritual?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"The death of a betrayer," Melisandre answered. "More specifically, someone who has committed treachery against their own family."

"Me," Daenerys said with certainty. "I am responsible for the death of my brother."

Melisandre shook her head. "It can't be. Your death serves no purpose to him right now. It has to be someone else." Melisandre stepped forward reaching for Daenerys' arm as she did so. "We have to get out of here," she warned. "The room is going to collapse and if R'Nhor finds you here, I can't help you."

As the floor trembled beneath them, Daenerys nodded quickly and ushered her dragons ahead of her. "Go!"

They made it back out into the catacombs and Melisandre hastened to conjure fire in her palm as the darkness overwhelmed them. The floor and walls still trembled with the force of the ritual upstairs but at least the tunnels seemed more structurally stable. Drogon stared at the ceiling and growled in warning as Daenerys bent to comfort her dragons.

"You must go," Melisandre urged her. "Get far away. I'll be damned if R'Nhor get what he wants." She looked at the journal in Daenerys hands. "Keep the journal safe. Find the key to defeating him and just maybe, I won't have failed this realm after all."

Daenerys hesitated and she couldn't believe the next words that left her lips. "What about you?"

Melisandre looked at the tunnels behind her and then back Daenerys. "I must find Stannis and get him to safety. If nothing else, he is still my king. I chose to follow him."

Daenerys felt her body go rigid as something terrible occurred to her. "Didn't Stannis murder his own brother?"

Melisandre frowned as her lips pulled back into a tight line. "No," she snapped defensively. "I did. He was a threat to Stannis' power. How did you come to know of this?"

Word of the shadow demon that the Red Woman had somehow produced had reached the Slaver's cities some time ago. The death of Renly, the younger brother of the throne usurper Robert Baratheon was certainly not news to be swept under the rug. It was part of why Daenerys had hated the Red Woman so much. Throne usurper or not, Renly had committed no harm. Daenerys felt some of her earlier resentment for this woman return.

"Your family comes first," Daenerys said bitterly. "Always. Regardless of whether you carried out the deed or not, Stannis was responsible for his brother's death. He had his brother murdered for a throne!"

"It didn't belong to him," Melisandre disputed even as the floor shook beneath them.

"And it doesn't belong to Stannis either!" Daenerys hissed. Her dragons felt her unease and resumed their positioned behind her, growling and ready to strike if necessary.

Melisandre stepped back as she seemed to sense the power radiating from the woman in front of her. "You're one to talk," she replied gallingly. "Did you not have your own brother killed?"

Daenerys did not even bat an eye. She had no regrets. Viserys had threatened her son and her own life. "I did not kill my brother for the Iron Throne," she said coldly. "Viserys may have been blood, but he was no longer family. He threatened the life of my unborn child and the lives of countless others. He would have been a tyrant!"

Melisandre met her cold stare with one of her own. "Stannis has his faults but he truly does want what is best for the realm. I assure you."

"Then you'd better help him," Daenerys said as she stared down the Red Woman. When Melisandre stared at her in confusion, Daenerys gestured to the walls that continued to shudder around them. "Who do you think the Red God plans to sacrifice so that he may possess his vessel? Who murdered his own brother for the sake of a throne?"

The Red Woman's eyes flooded with a dreadful realisation as the scrolls tumbled from her arms. "Stannis..."

Before Daenerys could stop her, Melisandre quickly tore past her, racing down the tunnel towards her doomed king. Daenerys called after frightfully but the Red Woman ignored her and the fire she held in her palm quickly faded away into the darkness. Drogon tittered softly and ignited the heat in his cheeks so that Daenerys could see once again. She stared at her dragons as they crawled forward, resting their scaly heads against her hip and she took a deep breath. R'Nhor was somewhere in the fortress above her, calling on the God that would most likely bring this world to ruin. As of now, R'Nhor had no idea she was here and if she left now, she could almost certainly get away.

Daenerys felt her breath coming quicker as she placed one protective hand against her belly and the other against the head of Rhaegal, the dragon that was closest to her. She had an important decision to make.

**...**

_**Loki**_

"Tell me that wasn't you," Loki commented dryly as they ascended the stairs into Dragonstone. The moment Loki had put one foot on the stone step, the entire fortress had begun to quake and shudder as Thor and Loki froze.

Thor hesitated. "This woman of yours... Exactly how big are her other dragons?"

Loki narrowed his eyes and was about to retort when another great tremor rocked the castle and caused the steps in front of Loki to fracture. The brothers looked at each other in alarm and Loreley whimpered against Loki's shoulder.

"That's not natural," Loki argued as he raced up the trembling steps. The doors were enormous and Loki gave a satisfied smirk as he raised his sceptre, preparing to blast the doors right off their hinges. A split second before he could discharge his weapon though, Thor interceded again and threw his mighty hammer against the doors, shattering the handles. The doors fell apart and Loki whirled on his brother.

"Really?" he demanded in exasperation.

"Go!" Thor reminded him, shoving him forward urgently. They raced through the splintered doors and Loki almost slowed as he was met with the ancient and grand architecture of Dragonstone. Enormous stone dragons lined the halls and even as they shook with tremors, Loki could see the fiery red jewels embedded in their skulls, serving as their eyes.

The fortress quaked around them and Loki paused, his eyes frantically searching the great hall as pieces of the ceiling began to tumble away. "Daenerys!" he shouted in panic. If Daenerys was within the fortress, he had little time to find her before the entire structure fell down around them. "Daenerys!"

"Loki!" Thor thundered back. "She's not here!"

"She is!" Loki shouted back. He could feel the heat in his chest which seemed to become an inferno whenever he felt Daenerys was threatened. She was definitely here... She had to be.

A bloodcurdling scream suddenly echoed off the walls and Loki strained to hear where the sound had come from. Another shout followed, this one deeper and more masculine, and Loki quickly raced toward the doorway at the far end of the hall.

"Loki!" Thor bellowed after him but Loki ignored him as he only had ears for the frightened screams he could now hear clearly echoing throughout the hall. _Daenerys_. The doorway quickly turned into a long, dark corridor and Loki was guided only by the glowing tip of his sceptre. He could faintly hear the sound of Thor's muttered string of curses as well as the dull thumping which signalled that his brother was following him.

When he reached the end of the corridor, the mouth of it opened up into another wide hall, this one smaller and less grand than the first. But it was neither the size nor the splendour of this hall which made it extraordinary. It was the spectacle in the centre of the marbled floor, the blood gushing forth from the corpse and the dark man who stood above it all wearing a feral grin on his face. When he saw the identity of the man with blood on his hands and an evil glint in his eye, Loki halted in his tracks. Loreley growled at the man and quickly retreated under Loki's cloak for cover.

"Impossible," Loki snarled from his position in the doorway. "I killed you!"

"Perhaps you've heard the phrase," the man said as he turned and revealed his full visage. R'Nhor's contemptible smirk had not changed. "Never wound what you can't kill."

"Except I did kill you," Loki repeated as he took a step further into the room, eying the corpse at R'Nhor's feet.

R'Nhor followed Loki's eyes and gave a dark chuckle. "Ah, yes... that," he murmured, giving the body a decent kick to the side and watching with amusement as an intestine fell out of the gaping wound across the man's belly. "Stannis Baratheon. Do you know him?"

Loki had a look of disgust across his face. He was certainly not an amateur when it came to killing and not so long ago, he had even found it to be fun. But the way R'Nhor had torn this man apart belied his animalistic nature. A god or even a real man should not have to get his hands so bloody to get the job done. This man was a monster.

Loki's attention was momentarily diverted by the sound of a soft moan. "Daenerys?" he asked hopefully, turning to see a slender woman gripping a nearby stone pillar for support. Loki's disappointment consumed him as he saw immediately that this woman was certainly not Daenerys. She had flaming red hair and was dressed in a scarlet gown, much like R'Nhor was. But judging by the way this woman was groaning and blanching at the sight of the dead man, she was anything but his ally.

"Stannis..." she moaned over and over again. "Stannis... Stannis."

Loki heard an awful gurgle from the corpse at R'Nhor's feet and it was then that he realised the horrible truth. The man was not yet dead. He was certainly beyond the point of recovery yet even as his guts hung out of the wound across his stomach and his blood continued to pool on the floor, the man somehow continued to live. If Loki was mortal or even a compassionate god, he might have felt sick.

"Odin's beard!" Thor appeared in the doorway behind Loki and was greeted with the same gruesome sight. "What have you done?"

Another great tremor trembled across the floor and shook the walls but R'Nhor looked positively amused. "Odin's beard?" he asked with a harsh laugh. "You foreigners have no place here." He shook his head as though the entire spectacle was somehow entertaining before turning from them and bending toward the dying man.

"I should thank you Stannis," he said quietly, so soft that Loki could barely hear him. R'Nhor lifted the Stannis' arm and he groaned as his flesh parted and more intestines slipped out. "It won't be much longer. It's a pity for you that the blood needs to be fresh and pumping. But you should feel proud. I have given you a great honour. With your death, my Lord shall return. And this world will belong to him once more."

Loki cursed as it finally dawned on him what was truly happening here. It was a ritual, a blood sacrifice to bring forth an ancient god. He turned to the cowering woman, unsure of her place in all this. "Daenerys," he whispered to her. "Have you seen her?"

The name seemed to stir something within the woman and she blinked at him. "She was here," she admitted in a whisper. "She's probably long gone by now. I told her to get away."

Loki felt his impatience simmering beneath the surface but he pushed it away. "She's still here," he said through gritted teeth. "I can feel her. But I think the tremors are making it harder for me to find her."

The woman stared at him with newfound respect. "I know you," she said, standing a little straighter and not leaning against the pillar for support any longer. "You're hers. The one who protects her."

Loki found himself almost smiling, even given the circumstances. "Yes, I'm hers."

A beat passed between them before the pillar to the right of the woman suddenly crumbled and toppled toward her as she gasped in panic. Loki quickly seized her around the waist and pulled her out of the way, shielding her with his body as the greatest tremor yet shook the fortress. A roaring wind suddenly rushed through the hall as the window panes shattered and the castle began to fall apart around them.

"He's coming!" R'Nhor shouted with excitement and madness gleaming in his eyes. "He will soak the world in blood and meet the Great Other in the final confrontation! There is nothing you can do to stop it!"

"Let's go!" Thor shouted to his brother, running forward and seizing Loki's arm in a vice. "Grab your woman and let us be gone! Now!"

"I haven't found her yet!" Loki snapped back at him. At seeing Thor's apparent confusion, he then understood. He glanced at the red-haired woman and realised what shielding her must have looked like to his brother. "This isn't Daenerys."

"Then where is she?" Thor demanded in exasperation. A mad laughing reached his ears and Loki looked past his brother to see R'Nhor reaching into Stannis' gaping belly. Stannis let out a choked cry as blood spilled from his mouth and R'Nhor pushed his arm deeper into his chest. He began to pull his arm back and, as Stannis' eyes closed for the last time, R'Nhor retracted his arm completely and pulled out the man's heart. He held the bleeding organ in his fist before dropping it to the floor with contempt and staring at Loki gleefully. "You're all dead," he promised them in a macabre whisper.

A blinding light shot forth from beneath the floor, breaking it apart and obliterating the bloody heart. The light turned into a raging, fiery inferno as it tore up towards the ceiling and broke through the roof. R'Nhor stood before it, holding out his arms reverently as though preparing to embrace it.

"It's over," the red-haired woman gasped from behind them. "It's too late!"

"Not from where I'm standing," Loki growled. Without hesitating he shot forth a powerful blast of energy from his sceptre aiming straight for the madman. The energy glanced off of the mortal similar to a fly off a tiger, rocketing into the wall instead as Loki gripped his hands in fury. R'Nhor's eyes were closed in admiration and he did not appear to have felt the energy surge in the slightest.

"What is he?" Thor demanded as he stared at the tornado of flames that bellowed up from the floor.

"Our end," the Red Woman moaned much to Loki's agitation. But if he had to be honest, even he was beginning to doubt that this would end well. R'Nhor turned toward them all, still smiling obscenely as blood began to seep forth from his skin in rivulets, staining his skin red and his eyes, which were once a russet brown, now gleamed with a flaming orange.

Loki gasped suddenly as he felt a searing heat grip his chest and he almost convulsed. Thor looked to his brother in alarm but it had passed just as quickly as it had come. _What-?_

"Hey!" A familiar voice shouted above the chaos and Loki's breath left him as he and the others all turned simultaneously towards the door and Loreley gave an excited shriek as she once more peaked out from Loki's cloak.

"Haven't we killed you once before?" Daenerys stood defiantly against the steps, her silver hair whipping around her beautiful face as the inferno roared in front of her. Beside her, three terrifying and obedient dragons stood larger than horses and with teeth sharper than a whetted blade. And right now, their furious growls were directed right at the man who stood covered in blood and leering at them all.

"Daenerys," R'Nhor murmured, only it was no longer R'Nhor's voice. It was deeper, darker somehow as though he were possessed by a demon. "You're just in time to enjoy the show."

Without another word, he stepped backward into the flames and the fire seemed to absorb him just as Daenerys' dragons let loose their own fire with a vicious roar.

"You're too late." A dark voice resonated across the room as the walls finally collapsed and the night sky could be seen through the broken windows of the crumbling fortress. "He awakens..."

...

**I don't know about you guys, but even I cannot wait for the next chapter! My mind is already envisioning it and I can only hope that I will transform it into proper writing. I feel like a whole lot happened in this chapter so I hope it was not too rushed. The next chapter has big things coming so it might be longer than usual but I'm sure you guys won't mind that. **

**I also promised a few of you some answers in the last chapter so I will answer them individually below.**

**Shuuwai****: Thanks for the thoughtful review! If I had to be honest, I'm not really sure how long I plan to keep Thor in there! Him and Daenerys will definitely meet but whether he stays until the end or not will be a job for my overactive imagination. It changes its mind sometimes...**

**ChairmanJeong****: Westeros is still there but it will soon feel the coming of the Red God. It's going to get bloody, especially with the White Walker coming from the North and the Red God finally awakening.**

**Nightmareofcat****: I know you technically didn't have any questions but I feel like you deserve a special mention. Like seriously! You have been with this series since its inception almost and you continue to leave awesome and thoughtful reviews. So here's a shout out to you and also a special promise... more smut and action to come soon XD**


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